THE FARMERS' UNION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7294, 6 January 1902, Page 1

THE FARMERS' UNION.

■» ■ SPEECHES »BY MINISTERS. [Pek Pmiss Association.] OTAUTAU, Jan. 4. At the invitation of the Farmers' Union. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a. public meeting at Otautau-on Saturday evening. The Town Hall was packed to the doors, and Sir Joseph was receivedi with loud cheering. Mr A. Cupples, chairman of the local branch of the Union, presided, and the;Hon W. C. Walker, Minister of Education, the Hen H. Peldwick, M.L.C., and Mr M. Gilfeddcr, member, for Wallace, were also on the platform. Mr Cupples, in introducing Sir Joseph, said that the Union, did not wish to oust the Government, but wished fair play. He hoped that the time was at hand when the Government would retrieve a little of what had been done which was oppressive io farmers. (Applause.) The price of wool had fallen and foreign' competition was Severe, so that the Government should keep down expenditure anid assist the farmW'ts, aaid create new markets in other parts of the world. Sir Joseph Ward then proceeded to show what had "been done by the present Administration for the farmers, and said that no former Government had done so much: this direction as the pres-eAt. With re"gard to expenditure, he pointed out that the ten millions borrowed since the present ; Government came into power *had beemi expended wisely and !for the benefit of the, colony, and in such aw ay as not to increase taxation. The clamour for expenditure was general all over the colony. Increased, facilities and improvements were asked for -in every district, and nothing could be done without money. That verynight several deputations wanted expenditure. The money borrowed under the Land for Settlements Act was for tie use of fanners, and' no- one would like to see that done a-way wjth. (Applause.) Before this policy was introduced they had to pay from 6 to 10 per cent for their loans, and it was .those interested in lending concerns who most bitterly opposed the system. The money . borrowed and lent to public bodies did not increase taxation oni the people, because it was paid, for by the ratepayers who got it. No country whiich had done anything at all for its people had been able to work upon the amount raised by taxation from the people, and for every penny spent in. public works in the colony they had splendid assets, and everyone had been benefited by increased facilities in every walk of life. - Sir Joseph referred to a letter written to Lord Wemyss by someone in the colony, stating that we were on the high road to bankruptcy. It was infamous and erroneous. The Agent-General had properly challenged 1 tshe statement, and Lord Wemyss had shielded the writer and' refused to give up iris name. Some people bemoaned the enormity of the burden of debt carried by the colony, and when they considered that -a Canadian: Company had as much qn coe- line alone as the whole of the public indebtedness of this colony, and when theyTnade a. comparison, were they prepared to say : that our burden was heavy, or that we could not pay our "way? This country was capable of carrying, forty or fifty millions of people, and we had. to lay the foundation ou'which the whole structure was to be raised. .In the south they had a Trunk Railway, but there was none between Auckland and ''(Wellington,' and had the people there not the right to expect the same advantages as those in- the south? Anything which benefited' the 'people in, the northv and' tended: to increase its productiveness and prosperity 'benefited tihe whole colony, and there was no sucjh thing as a division of initJ&rests because a few miles of water separated the »two Islands. There was a cry to stop borrowing, and every member of -tihe Adnniniistration would like to do tlhat. if it were legitimately possible. It was necessary to carry ; outUhe requirements of ourselves and those who would follow us. It 'was clear that any Administration for some years to- come, if it met the proper ■ requirements of the colony, would have to borrow wisely in proportion to the development of the colony. Sir Joseph 'then referred to tße decrease in the rate of interest witfhan. the last five years of 4s 9d per head, the increase in the value of land, a-ndi the Sarrai'gs Barak deposit®, on -the same lines as in his recent Gore speech. The reductions and concessions to farmers alone amounted to £248,000 per year>. They also had the benefits from reduced railway fares, penny postage, and the services of Government graders and: veterinary surgeons. He welcomed the formation of the Farmers' Union, and saiidi ttdrai they had a perfect right to comibine to protect their interests and 'have them legitimate requirements attended to. The Union could do much good, and he refused to 'believe that any man by joining the Union would sacrifice his own. political beliefs. Referring to the fall iin wool, he said that if he was a wool grower he would hold on to it, and the market would; soon right itself. ' He attributed the " slump" to the production, and use of shoddy articles, the falling-off i© th© speculation® of French aawl German buyers through financial complications, and t)he introduction of machinery into America to. use up old clothes and reproduce them in the shape of cheap clothing. If they held on to' them wool, buyers would soon come for it. Every effort tt-&s being mode to ohteitt fresh markets, amd large -sums had. been* set aside to foster trade with South Africa. The Federal tariff had; affected fheon to some extent, fou-t they should easily find an outlet for the produce -which formerly went to Australia, and in any case they were in ti for better position- than if they !haid saoriificed their independence by pursuing- the somewhat visionary advantages to be gained by joining the Commonwealth- He encouraged them to face the reverse hopefully, and the same iaidomdta'ble spirit which had clharac-. tensed the people in the past would enable them to surmount the present difficulty. Prospects for the future were even, more bright than in the past. Referring to the Workers' Compensationi Act, Sir Joseph said that no Act which the Government had passed had been, more misrepresented than this, and, yet there was mo Act whiich should commend itself more to farmers. The Act was the English Act introduced by the Salisbury Government, -which certainly could, not foe accused' of any Radical tendencies. The position Tvas quite olear. Under common law #he farmer was liaible to Be sued for compensation, for injuries for any. amount up to £500. 'Now by paying 5s .pc» year on- every hundred pounds of wages paid he could cover his risk from any source whatever. He was under no compulsion to insure under the Workers' Compensation Act, but surely it was better to pay a nominal premium of 5s per £100 than run the risk of being sued for a very large amount for compensation fox. a>ny accident which mieht happen. If there were no acts at all, and the farmer was entirely clear from any liability whatever, there was not a man among -them who, if an employee were injured, would not put his hand in his pocket to alleviate the. unhappy ciicumstainces under which the injured man and his family must labour. (Applause.) In conclusion, it must not be supposed' that the members of the Government set themselves up as infallible.- They were always ready to listen, to suggestions and, as far j as possible, meet the requirements of the j people. As to -the oft-repeated calumnies of the enemies of the Government, lie asked them to carefully examine all the statements. Could' they Hook around 1 them and j fail to TecognAse the reality and solidity of the farmers everywhere so appanenit throughout Southland? Andi if tihe pluck and energy which had carried tlhem so far continued to operate, fif they continued to believe in themselves., dm the possibilities of j

tibia glorious countiy, the present difficulties - would pass away Idee the 'baseless fabric of a vision, and New Zealand in a tini€ not far distent -would support in comfort a large and prosperous population. Sir Joseph Ward resumed his seat am«M cheers, but immediately arose to announce the receipt of a telegram from Mr R. M'2?ab, M.H.R. for Mabauca, apologising for his unavoidable absence,' and to intnoduco his cc-lleagufr. the Hon W. C Walker. Mr Walker said tfet- lie was pleased to be present amd to have an opportunity of showing his sympathy with the Union in. its efforts to secure the advantage of co-opera-tion. With/regard to the question of further borrowing, the test was : Was the intended expenditure necessary, and was it likely to be warranted- by results? The ! people of this colony, Vhile tihey were prepared to do without luxuries, demanded that their children should' have i/he advaa- | tages of education-, and every year the re- | quiirements of the Boards, wfre increasingly heavy. It was only with tihe greatest difficulty tfhat the demands under the present provisions could 'be met, and there was a continual desire to give to children further advantages. As settlement progressed there: j was a demand for additional schools, a<nd i these could mot foe provided without money, [ and' that money should he found, even if j it had to. be borrowed. The Chairman, Mr Cupples, said that, he had listened to both -speakers witih pleasure. Wiith some of what Sir Joseph said he [agreed, with some he did not, fbut he, and ! he was sure everyone else, agreed 1 that he j was a very clever man', and »he would' be I pleased if someone would move a vote of thariks to Jbian. Mr N. A. M'Laren moved a vote of tharoks, but Mr R. Heritt moved', as an amendment, " that a vote of confidence be added," and; the amendment was A Vote of ilhanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings.